Appointment of bishop of Tibú, Colombia
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, U.S.A.
Appointment of bishop of Tibú, Colombia
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Tibú, Colombia, the Reverend Israel Bravo Cortés, of the clergy of the diocese of Cúcuta, until now parish priest of the Minor Basilca of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá – Parroquia San Luis Gonzaga and vicar general of the diocese.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Israel Bravo Cortés was born on 4 June 1971 in El Espinal. He completed his priestly formation at the San José Major Seminary in Cúcuta. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy of social communication at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, a licentiate in theology and a specialisation in pastoral communication at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, and a specialisation in youth ministry at the Instituto Teológico Pastoral para América Latina (ITEPAL).
He was ordained a priest on 1 February 1997, and incardinated in the diocese of Cúcuta.
He has held the following offices: deacon of San Pedro Claver (1996), parish vicar of Nuestra Señora del Rosario (1997), parish administrator (1998) and parish priest of San Judas Tadeo (1999-2003), episcopal delegate for youth pastoral care (2000-2003), formator at San José Major Seminary in Cúcuta (2005-2009), and parish administrator and parish priest of San Martín de Porres in Bogotá (2010-2012). From 2013 to date he has served as parish priest of the Minor Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá - Parroquia San Luis Gonzaga and vicar general of the diocese.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, U.S.A.
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, United States of America, the Reverend Mark A. Eckman, until now parish priest of the Resurrection Parish in Pittsburgh, assigning him the titular see of Sitifi.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Mark A. Eckman was born on 9 February 1959 in Pittsburgh, in the diocese of the same name. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Paul Seminary, obtaining his bachelor’s degree at Duquesne University (1981). He subsequently received his Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania (1984).
He was ordained a priest on 11 May 1985 for the diocese of Pittsburgh.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Resurrection Parish (1985-1990) and Saint Sebastian Parish in Pittsburgh (1990-1991), Saint Valentine Parish in Bethel Park (1991-1992), Saint Winifred Parish (1992-1994) and Saint John Vianney Parish in Pittsburgh (1994-1998); chaplain of Seton-LaSalle Catholic High School (1992-1998) and DePaul School for Hearing and Speech (1996-1998); pastor of Saint Sylvester Parish (1998-2009), Saint Norbert Parish (2006-2009), Saint Thomas More Parish (2009-2013) and Resurrection Parish in Pittsburgh (since 2021); administrator of Saint Norbert Parish (2005-2006), Epiphany Parish (2017-2018), Saint John Capistran Parish (2020-2021), and Saint Thomas More Parish (2020-2021) and vicar for the clergy (2013-2020). In addition, he has served as a member of the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors (2010-2020), and the National Advisory Board of the USCCB (2010-2014).
